Jakarta – The election monitoring group Association for Elections and Democracy (Perludem) is predicting that there will be 31 regions where there will be sole candidates in the 2020 elections of regional heads (pilkada).

Achmad Nasrudin Yahya, Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition for Security Sector Reform is urging the government and the House of Representatives (DPR) to be transparent in its deliberations on the Draft Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Role of the Indonesian Military in Tackling Terrorism.

Solo – A recommendation by the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) to back President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s eldest son Gibran Rakabuming Raka as a mayoral candidate in the regional elections in Solo, Central Java, has attracted criticism from student groups in the city.

On Tuesday July 15 a protest action against Papuan Special Autonomy (Otsus) Chapter II was held at the zero kilometre point in the Central Java city of Yogyakarta. The joint action was initiated by the Papuan Student Alliance (AMP) and the Indonesian People’s Front for West Papua (FRI-WP).

Jakarta – Papuan students from the Action Committee Against Special Autonomy demonstrated in front of the Home Affairs Ministry offices in Jakarta on Tuesday July 14 against Special Autonomy (Otsus). The students said that the policy is not needed by the people of the land of the Bird of Paradise as Papua is known.

The following is a translation of a press release by 17 West Papuan organisations that have launched a Papuan People’s Petition (Petisi Rakyat Papua) to oppose the government’s discussion on renewing Papua’s Special Autonomy Law (Otsus) which expires next year.

Jakarta – Another hammer-and-sickle flag case has again raised its head after a flag with the communist logo was found in Makassar. Over the years such cases have occurred unintentionally, have related to scholarly studies, hoaxes intended to trigger unrests, criminalisation of activists and the revival of identity politics.

Jakarta – Confederation of United Indonesian Workers (KPBI) Deputy Chairperson Jumisih has criticised the plan to carry out rapid tests for the corona virus (Covid-19) on 575 members of the House of Representatives (DPR) and their families this week.

Jakarta – The Civil Society Coalition is calling on President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to withdraw the Draft Law on Job Creation (RUU Cipta Kerja) which has been submitted to the House of Representatives (DPR). The Coalition is also asking the DPR to halt the deliberations into the draft submitted by the government.

Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) researcher Kurnia Ramadhana believes that 2019 was the year in which the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) was destroyed. Ramadhana even said that President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and the House of Representatives (DPR) were the masterminds behind its destruction.

Leon Kastayudha – Indonesia celebrates National Mother’s Day on December 22nd. As in other countries, Mother’s Day is a mainstream commemoration filled with gestures of appreciation to mothers, flowers, and or other commercial gifts.

Jakarta – Justice and Prosperity Party (PKS) Executive Board Chairperson for Regional Affairs, Tifatul Sembiring, has warned the newly formed People’s Wave Party (Gelora) not to poach members from other political parties.

Yulida Medistiara, Jakarta – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will personally select the members of the new Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) oversight committee. Indonesian Legal Aid Foundation (YLBHI) Chairperson Asfinawati says that the KPK oversight committee will become an extension of the president’s authority.

Wahyu Setiawan, Valda Kustarini, Jakarta – Amnesty International believes that resolving cases of human rights violations in Papua is more important than creating a new province. Amnesty Executive Director Usman Hamid says that this is not the right solution for Papua at the moment.

Jakarta – The announcement and inauguration of the new Advance Indonesia Cabinet members by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has attracted a variety of responses. There are some who are happy because they have long awaited such a lineup. There are others however who are disappointed and dissatisfied.

Jakarta – Amnesty International Indonesia Director Usman Hamid says that it will be difficult to stop the current attempt to weaken the fight against corruption by crippling the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

Heru Haetami and Resky Novianto, Jakarta – The nine political parties backing the government have agreed that they do not want President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to issue a government regulation in lieu of law (Perppu) to annul the recently revised Corruption Eradication Commission Law (UU KPK).

Haris Fadhil and Indra Komara, Jakarta – Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has strongly criticised a statement by Presidential Chief of Staff Moeldoko who said that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) could be hindering investment. Although he has since clarified his statement, ICW says that Moeldoko’s logic is misguided.

Indonesia’s political parties have revived a proposal to reinstate the GBHN – the Broad Outlines of State Policy – which used to be issued by the People’s Consultative Assembly (MPR) to guide and direct national development during the New Order dictatorship of former president Suharto.

Leon Kastayudha – Bacharuddin Jusuf Habibie died on September 12 at the age of 83. As the third president of Indonesia, his administration straddled the upheavals of Suharto’s New Order regime and reformasi – the political reform movement that began in 1998.